Unitary garment shipping carton



Allg- 22, 957 H. MILLER ETAL 3,337,030

UNITARY GARMENT SHIPPING CARTON Filed Dec. 30, 1965 INVENTORS. Mae/QY Mu. E2 @nV/140Mo @52W/G United States Patent Oiiiice 3,337,030 UNITARY GARMENT SHIPPING CARTON Harry Miller and Raymond Gerwig, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Cal Carton Manufacturing Co., Los Angeles, Calif., a partnership Filed Dec. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 517,704 11 Claims. (Cl. 206-7) This invention relates to a shipping carton for garments and the like and to a method of making the same. More particularly this invention relates to a garment shipping carton containing a bendable securing and hanger mounting means which is an integral part of both the carton itself and its method of construction and assembly, resulting in the provision of a unitary carton structure.

Shipping cartons for garments vary with the type of garment, its pre-shipment condition and the manner in which the garment is to be displayed and marketed. Shirts, for example, are packaged and shipped prefolded, as well as displayed and sold in 'a folded condition. Suits and dresses, however, are pressed at the factory before shipment and consequently require shipping containers provided with support means on which they are suspended during shipment, to retain their shape for display and sale at the store, without the added expense of a second pressing operation.

The use of cartons heretofore provided for shipping garments in suspended form is relatively costly due to their manner of construction and assembly and the labor and materials involved. In particular the type of hanger support or mounting means previously employed involved costly material and fabrication requirements in order to provide the necessary strength for the very heavy loads.

The present invention provides a unitary shipping carton in which a novel securing and mounting bar element forms an integral part of the construction and assembly of the carton, whereby it serves not only to secure the shape of the carton but as a hanger mounting means, and

wherein support for the load on the bar is provided by conforming the shape of portions of the bar to bottom and end carton walls while the bar portions are in contact with the internal surfaces of such walls.

The present invention enables the construction of a sturdy but inexpensive shipping carton from a single `blank of corrugated paperboard and a pair of novel bendable mounting bar elements of simple construction. The carton of the present invention is also provided with interior flaps adapted to prevent the entry of dust and restrain lateral movement of the garments and contact with the side walls of the carton during shipment, thus helping to maintain them in their pressed condition.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to disclose and provide a unitary shipping carton for garments and the like in which a securing and hanger mounting means is an integral part of the carton construction and serves to form and secure the carton in the desired shape and as a mounting bar to support the garment hangers.

A further object is to disclose and provide a novel hanger mounting bar element useful in shaping and securing a garment shipping carton and in supporting heavy loads suspended therefrom on garment hangers, and adapted to restrain the garments from sliding along the mounting bar during shipment.

Another object is to disclose and provide an inexpensive garment shipping carton having interior flaps adapted to exclude dust and to restrain the garments from lateral movement towards the side walls of the carton during shipment. A further object is to provide a method of forming a shipping carton from paperboard and bendable securing and hanger mounting means.

These and other objects and advantages will become 3,337,030 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 more readily apparent from a reading of the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing the carton of `the 'present invention in a flattened condition with one mountand an end wall of the paper board blank before the bar is bent into its linal shape.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a mounting bar positioned within the paperboard blank after the bar has been bent into its linal shape.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along plane V-V of FIG. 3 showing a mounting bar positioned within the corrugations of a paperboard blank.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view showing the shape of an exemplary mounting bar before it is inserted Within the corrugated paperboard and bent into inal shape.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in FIGS. l and 2 the construction and assembly of an exemplary a pre-cut and pre-scored tween an outer pair of flat layers.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the corrugated cardboard 12 when laid ilat is substantially rectangular in shape, with two opposite sides of the sheet having Hap extensions of the middle portions, 44 and 54, substantially in the form of elongated rectangles but with the smaller sides 63, 64 and 73,

tance equal to about the thickness `of sheet 12), substantially in the form of elongated rectangles 65, 66 and 75,

an inner pair of parallel score lines 21 and 31 and an outer pair of parallel score lines 22 and 32, each pair being parallel to the other and to corrugations 13 of sheet 12. A parallel pair of transverse score lines 23 and 33 may be provided which extend perpendicularly lto the inner and outer pairs of parallel score lines and to corrugations 13 of the sheet.

Slits 24 and 34 extending from the ends of transverse score line 23 to the edge of the sheet, and slits 25 and 35 extending from the ends of transverse score line 33 to the edge of the sheet, define dust ilaps 27, 37, 26 and 36, respectively, described in more detail hereinafter, and enable the sheet to be folded in box form, as shown in FIG. 2.

The score lines shown in FIG. 1 dene carton wall sections shown in FIG. 2. Inner pair of parallel score lines 21 and 31 dene a bottom Wall section 40 and this pair of score lines, together with the outer pair of parallel score lines 22 and 32, dene side Wall sections 41 and 51. The parallel pair of transverse score lines 23 and 33 dene end wall sections 43 and 53, respectively, which can be folded into place because of the slitting at 24, 34, 25 and 35. The score lines are lpreferably located symmetrically with respect to sheet 12, making the container `and 55, respectively,

ymmetrical about a vertical plane passing through the enters of end walls 43 and 53, as well as symmetrical .bout a vertical plane passing through the centers of ide walls 41 and 51. This symmetrical arrangement profides equal sized closure flaps 42 and 52 which form a `op wall of the container. Alternatively, the top wall may )e a single flap extending from either side wall 41 or 51 .nstead of the two flaps as shown.

End walls 43 and 53 may be secured in a perpendicular position with respect to bottom wall 40 by means of securing fla-ps 44 and 54, respectively. Each securing flap may be an extension of a respective end wall, subs-tantially in the form of an elongated rectangle whose pair of smaller sides are incurved to eliminate projecting sharp angles on the flaps and preclude snagging of the clothes when placed in the carton. Score lines 46 and 56 extending along the inner ends of aps 44 and 54 parallel to their outer ends enable each securing flap to extend inwardly and tuck immediately below and in contact with top closure flaps 42 and 52 when they are in the closed position. Securing flaps 44 and 54 may be slotted at 45 at locations falling within the vertical plane passing through the centers of end walls 43 and 53, as will be described hereinafter. When the securing aps are folded inwardly, as shown with respect to securing flap 54 in FIG. 2, the bottom inner sides of the securing flaps rest on unextended, i.e. depressed, portions of the sides of'sheet 12 so that the top outer sides of the securing flaps are substantially on the same level with the top edges of extended rectangular portions 65, 66 and 75, 76, and lie in substantially the same horizontal plane, since 'the distance such portions are extended is equal to about the thickness of sheet 12. Consequently, the bottom inner sides of closure flaps 42 and 52 when folded inwardly, contact the top outer sides of securing iiaps 44 and 54 as well as the top 'edges of substantially rectangular extensions 65, 66 and 75, 76 at about the same level and cooperate therewith to form a tight seal as well as to give added support to closure flaps 42 and 52 and prevent their inward collapse.

The present inventionp'rovides a novel securing means which cooperates with bottom wall 40 and end walls 43 and 53 to secure the end walls in a perpendicular position with respect to the bottom wall. The same securing means also functions as a garment hanger mounting means for hanging garments by cooperating with securing flaps 44 and 54 as well as with the bottom and end walls.

The securing and hanger mounting means may include the pair of bendable mounting bars 14 and 19 and since they may be identical only bar 14 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 4 mounting bar 14 in its final bent form is generally U-shaped and is an integral part of, vand cooperates with, bottom wall 40 and end wall 43 to secure them in a perpendicular position, and also cooperates with these walls and securing ap 44 to provide a garment hanger mounting means. Bar 14 may be provided with upright leg 15, end lportion 16, ilattened portion 11 and horizontal portion 17. Before insertion within sheet 12, bar 14 is generally L-shaped, as shown in FIG. 6, with portions 16 and 17 aligned to form the horizontal leg of the L. In the final bent form of bar 14 end portion 16 is in an upright position parallel to upright leg 15. The hanger mounting bars may terminate at the top of their upright legs with generally U-shaped hooks 18 and 20 which open outwardly with respect to the U-shape of the bar. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the hanger mounting bar is provided with serrations 30 on the surface of upright leg on which the hangers are suspended to restrain the garments from sliding along the mounting bar during shipment and piling up at either end of the bar, thus preserving the clothing in their pressed condition.

As shown in FIG. 3, mounting bar 14 extends beneath the upper face of bottom wall 40 which may be apertured at 48 to receive the bar although an aperture is not required since the paper forming the upper face is sufciently thin for forceful intrusion therethrough of the end of bar 14. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, end portion 16 and horizontal portion-17 of the mounting bar extend between corrugations 13 of the sheet, with the horizontal portion 17 extending between the corrugations of bottom wall 40 and the end portion 16 extending between the corrugations of end wall 43. Consequently the bend in the mounting bar, preferably at flattened portion 11, between the horizontal portion 17 and the end portion 16 will be located at score line 23, as shown in FIG. 4. Upright leg 15 extends perpendicularly upward from bottom wall 40 and terminates with hook 18 on a level with score lline 46 between end wall 43 and securing flap 44.

Securing ap 44 may be secured to bar 14 by facing the open end of hook 18 inwardly away from end wall 43 and extending the hook through slot 45, with the bottom of the hook engaging the inward end of the slot, as shown in FIG. 4. To insure the positioning of walls 43 and 40 in perpendicular relationship, it is desirable that the distance between the closed end of hook 18 and end wall 43 be substantially equal to the distance between end wall 43 and the inner end of slot 45. This arrangement provides a spaced relationship between upright leg 15 and the inner face of end wall 43 and permits hangers with garments to be hooked oVer the mounting bar, as shown in FIG. 2.

Mounting bars 14 and 19 may be constructed of suitable inexpensive materials, such as cold rolled iron, which are capable of being bent to desired shapes. They may be circular in cross-section and of a diameter sucient to cause the bars to tightly engage the container between corrugations 13. The bars may be installed in the carton by a method which is economicaland fast.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 end portion 16 and horizontal portion 17 may be aligned along one leg of the L-shaped mounting bar. End portion 16 may be inserted through aperture 48 in bottom wall 40 and then forced between corrugations 13 until horizontal portion 17 is disposed within and becomes an integral part of bottom wall 40, and end portion 16 is disposed within and becomes an integral part of end wall l43. Horizontal portion 17 may be held in place within bottom wall 40, such as by holding downwardly on the bottom wall with the thumb and end wall 43 may be raised until it is positioned perpendicularly to the bottom wall 40, as shown in FIG. 4, whereby end portion 16 disposed within cardboard 13 is similarly positioned perpendicularly to bottom Wall 40. Horizontal portion 17 may also terminate with a attened portion 11 to facilitatebending down portion 17 while bending end portion 16 up and to ensure that bending takes place at the propery spot on the bar. Bar 19 may be inserted in the same manner and clothes may be hung at both ends of the carton if desired.

The insertion of a bendable metal bar between corrugations of the paper and the bending of the paper into the desiredshape together with the inserted mounting bar results in the formation of a shipping carton having a mounting bar which is an integral part of the carton and which serves to secure the carton as well as to provide a hanger mounting means. The engagement of hook 18 by slot 45 and the restraining action of corrugations 13 in bottom wall 40l and end wall 43, preclude transverse movement of bar 14. Moreover, a substantial load of garments may be carried as' a result of the imbedding of end portion 16 within end Wall 43 and engagement of hook 18 in slot 45. The mounting bar thus cooperates with the carton in securing the carton and in providing support means.

Dust aps 26, 36, 27 and 37 preclude dust and other foreign particles from entering the interior of the carton. Each dust Hap is extendable inwardly beyond its adjacent mounting bar (i.e. beyond the center of its adjacent end wall 43 or 53) by a distance approximately equal to the Width of either side wall 41 or 51. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the length of each dust ap may be such that end portions 47, 57, 49 and 59 (defined by score lines 61, 71, 62 and 72, respectively), can be tucked between the adjacent end wall and mounting bar in overlapping relationship with the end portions of their adjacent dust flaps and the remaining length will be suicient to form a V- shape portion in each, as described hereinafter.

The dust Haps may be provided with score lines 28, 29, 38 and 39, between the inner pair of parallel score lines and the score lines defining the dust ap end portions, to form V-shape portions, with the bottom of each V being directed inwardly toward the garments in the carton. When the dust flaps are tucked into place each end portion will engage an inner leg of the V of its adjacent dust flap, thus maintaining the V-shapes and preventing their collapse. Further, when the dust aps are tucked into place, as shown in FIG. 2, and securing flaps 44 and 54 are folded inwardly on the V-shape top edges of the dust aps, the bottom inner sides of the securing flaps rest on unextended portions of the dust flaps while extensions 65, 66 and `75, 76 extend slightly upwardly to the level of the top outer sides of the securing flaps. These extensions are thus positioned to form the top edges of the portion of the V legs near the point of intersection which protrudes inwardly beyond the securing ilaps toward the garments.

As explained above, when closure flaps 42 and 52 are closed, their bottom inner sides will be at approximately the same level as, and exert a sealing pressure against, the top outer sides of securing flaps 44 and 54 as well as the top edges of extended dust flap portions 65, 66 and 75, 76, whereby a tight seal will be elected by cooperation of the closure flaps, securing flaps and dust flaps to preclude dust from entering the carton, aswell as to strengthen the support for closure aps 42 and 52 and preventing their collapse inwardly.

The dust aps also retain the garments in place in the carton during shipment by wedging the bottom of the ,V-portions against the garments, as shown in FIG. 2, thus restraining their movement, preventing piling-up of the garments against the sides and maintaining them in their pressed condition.

The provision of an internally supported mounting bar; integral with the carton contributes substantially to the sturdiness of the structure. The carton may be sealed in any conventional manner. Closure flaps 42 and 52 may be placed in a closed position, for example, by applying pressure-sensitive tape along the longitudinal edge margins of the closure aps so as to secure them to each other, or along the transverse edge margins of the closure aps so as to secure them to end walls 43 and 53, or by otherwise adhering or tying the aps to the top sides of securing flaps 44 and 54.

The present invention thus provides a sturdy, yet inexpensive carton for shipping garments in suspended form. The garments may be placed by the manufacturer on hangers suspended from one or both mounting bars and the closure aps closed and secured. During shipment the dust aps serve to keep the garments clean and to retain them in position so that they need not be pressed again upon arrival, but merely removed by their hangers and hung on racks for display.

While the present invention has been described in connection with various exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that various modications might be suggesteld to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A unitary carton for shipping garments in suspended form on hangers, comprising:

a container formed from a substantially rectangular llat sheet of corrugated board having extending portions at -the middle sections of two opposite sides thereof substantially in the lform of elongated rectangles with incurved smaller sides, and a pair oi elongated, substantially rectangular extensions between each of said incurved sides and the edge of the sheet;

said sheet being provided with inner and outer pairs of score lines parallel to each other and to the corrugations in said sheet, a parallel pair of transverse score lines extending perpendicularly to said inner yand outer score lines and corrugations, a pair of score lines parallel to the outer edges of said rectangular extensions and said transverse score lines, slits extending from the ends of said transverse score lines to the edge ofthe sheet;

said container having sections including a bottom wall,

top closure flaps, securing ilaps, side walls and end walls delined by said score lines and dust flaps defined by said slits, said dust flaps: extending inwardly of the container from the edges of said end walls;

said bottom wall being substantially perpendicular t0 said side walls and end walls and joined thereto along respective score lines, said top closure aps and securing ilaps rbeing substantially perpendicular to said side walls and end walls and joined thereto along respective score lines;

at least one generally U shaped bendable securing and mounting bar having an upright leg, a horizontal portion, a 'bendable flattened portion and an end p0rtion, said upright leg having a serrated surface for mounting garment hangers, and terminating in a generally U shaped hook opening outwardly with respect to the U shape of the bar;

said mounting bar being connected to said container,

at least one of the end walls having a securing flap provided with a slot, said securing flap extending inwardly and away from said end wall and being secured to said hook through said slot;

whereby said mounting lbar is integral with, enclosed yby and cooperates with said bottom wall and end 4walls to secure the same in a perpendicular position with respect to each other, and cooperates with said bottom wall, side walls Iand securing flap to provide support for said garment hangers.

2. A unitary carton for shipping garments in suspended form on hangers comprising:

a corrugated container having top and bottom walls,

side walls and end walls, the bottom wall being substantially perpendicular to said side walls and end walls and joined thereto along respective score lines;

the corrugations within the end walls and bottom -walls extending substantially perpendicularly to the score lines joining said walls;

at least one generally U shaped securing and hanger mounting bar having an upright leg provided with a hooked end, a horizontal portion and an end portion;

said mounting 'bar extending between the corrugations of said container with the end portion of said mounting bar being positioned and enclosed within one of said end walls, the horizontal portion being positioned within said bottom wall, and said upright leg extending perpendicularly upwardly from said bottom wall with the hook end located at a height approximately equal to a top edge of a respective end wall;

at least one of the end walls having a securing ap which extends inwardly across the top of the hook end of the bar and is hooked thereto, and inwardly extending dust flaps'joined to said end wall and at right angles to said top and bottom walls and provided with upper extensions projecting to about the level of the top outer side of said securing ap',

whereby said securing and mounting bar secures said end wall in a position perpendicular to said bottom wall and is capable `of providing support for the garments on said hangers, and said top wall is capable of being tightly sealed against said securing ap and dust flaps.

3. A carton as claimed in claim 2 wherein the mountag bar is provided with a attened portion for faciliating a bending of the bar at a score line between a repective end wall and bottom wall during assembly, said lattened portion being located between said horizontal iortion and said end portion.

4. A carton as claimed in claim 2 wherein said contain- :r includes at least one pair of dust aps extending from v,he edges of an end wall inwardly within said container in close proximity to said garments, whereby dust will be excluded from said container and the garments will be restrained from movement during shipment of the carton.

5. A carton as claimed in claim 4 wherein each dust flap has an end lportion which overlaps the end portion of the other between the mounting bar and the respective end wall, and a generally V shaped portion with the bottom of the V directed inwardly towards the garments in said container.

6. A carton as claimed in claim 4 wherein the top wall of said container is an openable closure; an unextended top edge portion of each dust flap engaging a bottom side of one of the securing flaps and supporting said securing flap in a generally parallel position with respect to said bottom wall; and a bottom side of said top wall when the top wall is closed seals against a top side of said securing ap and an extended top edge portion of said dust flaps at substantially the same level.

7. As an article of commerce, comprising:

a corrugated paper sheet having top and bottom wall sections `and side wall sections dened by parallel score lines;

said sheet having a pair of end wall sections, each of which extends from a respective end of the bottom wall section and which is dened by a transverse score line extending perpendicularly to said parallel score lines', securing ap section extending from each end wall section, said securing flap section being defined by a second transverse score line parallel to the edge of said ap section; dust iiap section extending from each opposite end of at least one of said end wall sections, each of said dust ap sections being provided with an :upper extension positioned and arranged to mate, when that dust ap section is assembled into a container, with a at container blank the securing flap section of the associated end wall section, whereby the extension edge and securing flap section lie in a common `plane adapted to sealingly Contact with the infolded top wall section.

8. A container blank as claimed in claim 7 wherein said upper extensions of said dust ap sections extend a distance upwardly about equal to the thickness of said container blank.

9. A securing and mounting bar adaptable for used in a garment shipping carton comprising:

a substantially L shaped bendable bar having a serrated upright leg terminating in a hook, the horizontal leg of the L including a horizontal portion and au end portion;

said mounting bar being formed to bend between said horizontal portion and said end portion to .position lsaid end portion generally parallel to said upright leg so that said bar is bent substantially into a U shape, said mounting bar including a bendable flattened portion located between said horizontal and end portions, said hook being substantially U shaped and opening outwardly with respect to the U shape yof the bent bar.

10. A carton for shipping garments in suspended form on hangers, comprising, a container adapted to be folded to a closed conguration and having at least one foldable wall joined to the remainder of said container along a fold line; a generally L shaped mounting bar having an upright leg terminating in a hook, and a horizontal leg, including, a horizontal portion, an end portion, and a lmore readily bendable portion joining said horizontal portion and said end portion; and said bar having at least its end portion integrally mounted in said foldable wall with said readily bendable portion coincident with said fold line.

11. A carton as claimed in claim 10 wherein said more readily bendable portion is in the form of a attened portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,152,145 8/1915 Collins. 1,190,453 7/1916 Pease 211-123 1,278,545 9/ 1918 W-oerner. 1,914,845 6/1933 Cook 229-37 2,045,942 6/11936 Brody 211-123 XR 2,526,285 10/1950 Schuyler 211-123 XR 2,538,204 1/1951 Lemon. 2,577,860 12/1951 Schoor 211-123 XR 2,613,805 10/l1952 Frolich 312-259 XR 2,902,144 9/ 1959 Huehns.

FOREIGN PATENTS 7 88,675 1/1958 Great Britain. 289,648 11/1952 Switzerland.

THERON E. CONDO'N, Primary Examiner. J M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A UNITARY CARTON FOR SHIPPING GASRMENTS IN SUSPENDED FORM ON HANGERS, COMPRISING: A CONTAINER FORMED FROM A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR FLAT SHEET OF CORRUGATED BOARD HAVING EXTENDING PORTIONS AT THE MIDDLE SECTIONS OF TWO OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE FORM OF ELONGATED RECTANGLES WITH INCURVED SMALLER SIDES, AND A PAIR OF ELONGATED, SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR EXTENSIONS BETWEEN EACH OF SAID INCURVED SIDES AND THE EDGE OF THE SHEET; SAID SHEET BEING PROVIDED WITH INNER AND OUTER PAIRS OF SCORE LINES PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE CORRUGATIONS IN SAID SHEET, A PARALLEL PAIR OF TRANSVERSE SCORE LINES EXTENDING PERPENDICULARLY TO SAID INNER AND OUTER SCORE LINES AND CORRUGATIONS, A PAIR OF SCORE LINES PARALLEL TO THE OUTER EDGES OF SAID RECTANGULAR EXTENSIONS AND SAID TRANSVERSE SCORE LINES, SLITS EXTENDING FROM THE ENDS OF SAID TRANSVERSE SCORE LINES TO THE EDGE OF THE SHEET; SAID CONTAINER HAVING SECTIONS INCLUDING A BOTTOM WALL, TOP CLOSURE FLAPS, SECURING FLAPS, SIDE WALLS AND END WALLS DEFINED BY SAID SCORE LINES AND DUST FLAPS DEFINED BY SAID SLITS, SAID DUST FLAPS EXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE CONTAINER FROM THE EDGES OF SAID END WALLS; SAID BOTTOM WALL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID SIDE WALLS AND END WALLS AND JOINED THERETO ALONG RESPECTIVE SCORE LINES, SAID TOP CLOSURE FLAPS AND SECURING FLAPS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID SIDE WALLS AND END WALLS AND JOINED THERETO ALONG RESPECTIVE SCORE LINES; 